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Sunday, September 1, 2013

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE (MATTHEW 13:18-23)

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Matthew 13:18-23 (ESV)

Here Jesus explains his parable about the four types of soils. One soil is a path. The ground is hard and the seeds can't sink down into the earth. The birds come along and snatch the seeds away. Another soil has many rocks. The plant springs up quickly because there's no room for the roots to grow. But the sun scorches the plants until they wither and die. A third soil has many thorns that choke out the plant. The last soil is good soil. The soil accepts the seeds. The roots have room to grow. There are no thorns to choke out the plant. The plant grows and produces much fruit.

What type of soil are you. Do you understand the gospel message? Do you realize that you are a sinner in need of a savior? What do you do when you face trouble or persecution because of Christ? Will you turn your back on Jesus and deny him? Do you already turn your back on Jesus, desiring the things of this world instead? Do you put your own desires above true faith in God?

The good soil is a person who both hears God's Word and understands it. This person will bear fruit. This fruit comes from the Father in heaven. He gives us the faith to believe this good news. He sends us His love and mercy. When we truly understand that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, it produces in us a grateful heart... a new heart. God uses this new heart to produce fruit in our lives. Paul explains this in his letter to the church in Rome.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

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